Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony GV-D1000 Portable MiniDV Video Walkman

Since owning a miniDV camcorder and wishing there was a way of playing back tapes (on the TV) I've made without holding the unit in my hand 6ft from the television, this MiniDV Walkman is the answer to a prayer.

Although pricey, it does exactly as the description claims. I haven't owned it long, and although I've not tried any of the editing features it has, I can say that I'm pleased with its overall performance. As it also claims, the 4" monitor provides super clear viewing, and can be shut-off when using your TV as the monitor for viewing tapes. That saves battery power as well.

It's primarily a VCR for the MiniDV format. It records, (dubs), and plays back in forward or reverse, with excellent picture quality in 2x & slow motion. It definately IS a full-featured product, not to mention its capabilities when using the built-in memory stick slot --- mainly for converting a moving image into a still picture and to be able to view stills already taken. This brings me to the only "aw shucks" incident I've had thus far. The unit refuses to read the Sandisk pro duo mem stick I have in my SONY Cybershot camera. It claims the stick is corrupted for some srange reason.

The main reason for the 4-star rating, is that the unit does NOT come equipped with a lithium ion M-series battery... which it requires for its portability. It comes with 2-AA batteries, used to power the remote. (which is great by the way) But for about a thousand bucks you'd think they could at LEAST throw in a lithium battery!! So in order to get a half decent battery, (4 hr playback time) I had to shell out another 100 bucks! It already weighs 2 lbs; add a few more ounces for this enormous battery that looks like a growth on its backside!

Oh well, I got what I wished for, and can't complain too much for another fine & very diversified product from SONY.

I have several of these units connected to a mixing board that is connected to a Macintosh. I do some basic editing on the computer and these VTRs are great. They don't take much desk space. The screen folds down for storage. They can read memory sticks. They have pause and frame by frame advance and backup. They have been completely maintenance free for at least two years. I don't know why other companies haven't tried to built one like this.

I am on my second Canon GL2 (2k camera) and my first XL2 (4k camera). The reason I am on my second GL2 is because the heads on the cameras just cannot handle being used as a VCR. To save your camera, Canon themselves (as well as other manufactures) always recommend purchasing a DV Deck or a cheaper camera to use for FF, RWND, Play, and Offloading to protect the heads. I purchased my Sony DV Walkman from Sony themselves and I purchased it for <$600 as a refurb. I LOVE IT!!! What a Deal! It is cheaper than the Handycam I originally purchased for this process and offers so much more!

I use the Walkman for quick reviews of video on hotel and friend's TVs when traveling and I use it at home to capture all of my videos using Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 via a firewire without a hitch. (Note, you must purchase the DV cable separately to make it work with Adobe...but the included USB cable works "ok in a pinch" with the included software).

You also need to purchase a battery if you wish to keep the walkman portable...but for leaving on a desk and offloading, the included AC adapter works just fine.

You will NOT be disappointed with the exception of the couple of additional purchases required.... and the batteries these days come much cheaper than they used to. I'm out an extra $50 for the battery and DV cable tops...

I've used many GV-D1000s both personally and professionally over the past 5 years and I'd have to say that it is one of the most valuable parts of my workflow. If you're shooting on mini-DV (SD), this is a must have -- especially for the price. I've used it to capture video with Avid, Premiere and Vegas and it has worked like a champ. It's been extremely reliable and I recommend this to anyone that doesn't have $10,000 to spend. Save your camera's head for shooting, not VTR-ing.

I found the best price for this product on Amazon.com. The purchase was simple and I recieve excellent service. I had the product within three days. I am very satisfied with my experience at Amazon.com and
I plan on purchasing from them again in coming days. Sony GV-D1000 Portable MiniDV Video Walkman